No study has tested ghee on cracked heels: a PubMed search for ghee with heel or heels returns nothing. Ghee is almost pure fat, so it will sit on the skin as a greasy layer, but the American Academy of Dermatology's advice for cracked heels names urea creams and petroleum jelly, not ghee. Here is what dermatologists and the NHS advise, and where ghee fits.
Follow your doctor's advice before any home remedy, and especially if you have diabetes, poor circulation or cracks that bleed: the NHS says people with type 2 diabetes should see a GP or diabetes nurse about cracked skin on their feet. Ghee on the face is covered in ghee for face and skin; this article is about heels.
At a glance
- PubMed searches on 13 October 2026 for ghee with heel or heels returned 0 papers; ghee with fissure or crack returned 3, of which only 1, a single case report, concerned skin.
- The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) advises a cream with 10 to 25 per cent urea, alpha hydroxy acid or salicylic acid within 5 minutes of bathing, and plain petroleum jelly before bed.
- A 2026 systematic review including 12 randomised trials in people with diabetes found urea creams beat standard base creams for foot dryness after 4 weeks, with high-certainty evidence.
- The NHS says people with type 2 diabetes should see a GP or diabetes nurse if they have blisters or cracked skin on their feet.
- USDA FoodData Central lists ghee at 100 g of fat and 0.5 g of water per 100 g; a 2025 laboratory study describes its oxidative stability as low.
Does ghee work for cracked heels?
Nobody knows, because it has not been studied. A PubMed search for ghee with heel or heels in the title or abstract returned no papers. Ghee is fat, so it will coat the heel in a greasy film, but whether that film helps cracks close has never been measured in anyone, and dermatologists do not list it.
USDA FoodData Central lists clarified butter (ghee) at 100 g of fat, 0.5 g of water and 0 g of protein per 100 g. The NHS describes emollients as products that "cover the skin with a protective film to trap in moisture"; that describes tested products, not ghee. Ghee with foot or feet returned 5 papers; only two clearly put ghee on feet, both described below.
What do dermatologists recommend for cracked heels?
A short bath, a gentle cleanser, a urea or similar cream on damp skin, petroleum jelly at night and closed-back shoes. That is the AAD's advice on how to care for dry, cracked heels. Its 2022 news release names cold, dry weather, walking barefoot and long, hot showers among the causes.
- Keep baths and showers to 5 to 10 minutes. Bathing for too long dries out the skin.
- Use a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser so the feet keep their natural oils.
- Moisturise within 5 minutes of bathing with a cream containing 10 to 25 per cent urea, alpha hydroxy acid or salicylic acid, while the skin is still damp.
- Apply plain petroleum jelly before bed, with socks to keep grease off the bedding.
- Cover the cracks with a liquid bandage during the day, which the AAD says creates a protective barrier and stops germs entering.
- Avoid open-heeled shoes such as flip-flops, and shoes that are worn down or do not fit.
How strong is the evidence for urea creams?
Far stronger than for ghee, though not perfect. A 2026 systematic review including 12 randomised trials in adults with diabetes and dry feet found urea creams reduced dryness more than standard base creams after four weeks, rating that evidence high-certainty. An older review found the research mostly of poor-to-moderate quality.
The 2026 review, by Borgström and colleagues, excluded people with ulcers and found adverse events "rare and mild". The 2017 review by Parker and colleagues found urea the most researched ingredient, in 14 of 22 studies, but the evidence too weak to recommend one ingredient over another.
Cracks themselves were tested in a 2017 randomised, double-blind trial that gave 167 people with diabetes and a deep open heel fissure a cream of urea, glycerine and petrolatum or a placebo for four weeks. Complete healing of the main crack, 46.3 against 33.3 per cent, was not a statistically significant difference; fewer people still had a deep open crack with the cream (6.4 against 24.1 per cent), which was.
Ghee and the alternatives, side by side
"Dermatologist advice" means a recommendation from a professional body, not a trial.
| Option | What it does | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urea cream, 10 to 25 per cent | Moisturising cream applied to damp skin after bathing | Systematic review of 12 trials (diabetes, dry feet); one trial on deep heel fissures | AAD; Borgström 2026; Gin 2017 |
| Alpha hydroxy acid or salicylic acid cream | Named by the AAD as alternatives to urea | Dermatologist advice; no trial opened by us | AAD |
| Plain petroleum jelly at night | Thick ointment, with socks | Dermatologist advice | AAD |
| Liquid bandage over cracks | Protective barrier during the day | Dermatologist advice | AAD |
| Podiatrist | Cuts away hard skin; softening creams or patches; pads and insoles | NHS service description | NHS, corns and calluses |
| Ghee | A greasy film of fat (100 g fat per 100 g) | No study on heels; one single case report on the soles | PubMed search; USDA |
What does the research on ghee and feet show?
One case report and one hospital series, neither about ordinary cracked heels, and neither abstract describes a comparison group. They show that people have tried ghee on feet, in a skin disease and in hospital wound care. They cannot show that it helps a dry, cracked heel at home.
The 2021 case report describes one 15-year-old with palmoplantar psoriasis whose cracked soles were immersed in buffalo ghee during Ayurvedic treatment. The 2011 hospital series applied ghee and honey dressings to chronic infected wounds, including 29 diabetic foot ulcers, in Mumbai hospitals.
What could go wrong with ghee on your feet?
It can go rancid, a pot can become contaminated, and it leaves grease on socks and bedding. A 2025 laboratory study describes ghee as having low oxidative stability. The NHS advises a clean spoon for any emollient pot, and the AAD suggests socks to keep night-time grease off bedding.
The 2025 laboratory study says ghee "has low oxidative stability due to its limited natural antioxidant content"; how to spot a jar that has turned is in our guide to ghee storage and shelf life. The NHS page on emollients says a clean spoon or spatula "reduces the risk of infections from contaminated pots" and warns about slipping on tiled floors. That advice is written for emollients, not ghee, but a fatty layer on bare feet raises the same points. With a milk allergy, ask your doctor first; see ghee side effects.
If you have diabetes, what should you do about cracked heels?
Have the cracks checked, not self-treated. The NHS says to see a GP or diabetes nurse if you have blisters or cracked skin on your feet. Diabetes can damage nerves and blood supply to the feet, so injuries do not heal well and may go unnoticed, and the AAD warns that deep cracks raise the risk of serious infection.
The NHS page on complications of type 2 diabetes lists foot ulcers and infections, which can sometimes lead to amputation. Its type 1 diabetes page explains the nerve and blood-supply damage and advises checking your feet every day. The AAD's skin-care advice for people with diabetes says cracks "can develop, grow deep, and bleed", and that a dermatologist or podiatrist should see to calluses.
When should you see a podiatrist or doctor?
When cracks are severe, bleeding or not improving, and before any self-care if you have diabetes, poor circulation or a weakened immune system. The AAD says severe cracked heels need a dermatologist. The NHS says people with those conditions, and older people, should not treat corns and calluses themselves but see a GP or foot specialist.
The NHS page on corns and calluses, which covers hard, thick skin on the feet, also says to see a GP if the skin bleeds, has pus or discharge, or has not improved after 3 weeks of home care. A podiatrist may cut away hard skin or offer creams to soften it.
If you still want to try ghee, how should you go about it?
Only on intact heels, if you do not have diabetes or circulation problems, from a clean pot, and alongside the AAD's routine rather than instead of it. If anything about your feet worries you, ask your doctor first; these steps borrow the NHS's rules for emollient pots.
- Ask first if you have diabetes, poor circulation, bleeding cracks, pus or pain.
- Use a clean spoon and a small separate pot, as the NHS advises for any emollient pot.
- Apply it on intact skin only, never into open or bleeding cracks.
- Wear socks and mind tiled floors.
- Throw it out if it smells off, and stop if your skin burns or stings. The NHS says a reaction to an emollient that does not settle is a reason to talk to a GP, nurse or pharmacist.
The short version
No study has tested ghee on cracked heels, so claims that it heals them have nothing behind them. The AAD advises short baths, a cream with 10 to 25 per cent urea, alpha hydroxy acid or salicylic acid on damp skin, petroleum jelly at night and closed-back shoes. Urea creams have the best evidence, including a 2026 systematic review of 12 trials. Ghee is an untested food fat that can go rancid. If you have diabetes, or your cracks are deep, painful or bleeding, see your GP, diabetes nurse or a podiatrist first.
Sources
Further reading behind the figures above. Himdhara's own numbers — yields, batch results — come from our production records and the batch reports on the lab reports page.
- American Academy of Dermatology (2022). How to care for dry, cracked heels. AAD, Everyday care.
- American Academy of Dermatology (2024). Dermatologist-recommended skin care for people with diabetes. AAD, Diseases and conditions.
- NHS (2025). Complications of type 2 diabetes. NHS, Health A to Z.
- Borgström K, Björklund S, Gudmundsson P, Ericsson A, Acosta S (2026). Moisturizer formulations for diabetic foot xerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare.
- Rahila MP, Nath BS, Naik L, Shinde D, Pushpadass HA (2025). Gamma-oryzanol as a natural antioxidant to enhance the autoxidative and thermal stability of clarified butterfat (ghee). Journal of Dairy Research.